Pinyin "cha4"

In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, the Pinyin syllable "cha4" is split up into two parts: "ch" and "a4". You can visit the Pinyin index to see how other Pinyin syllables are split up into initials and finals.

Mnemonics for Pinyin initial "ch"

Ch is for Charlie Chaplin.

Mnemonics for Pinyin final "a4"

In the ashram's bathroom.

Characters pronounced cha4

different / wrong; mistaken / to fall short; to lack / not up to standard; inferior / Taiwan pr. [cha1]
fork in road / bifurcation / branch in road, river, mountain range etc / to branch off / to turn off / to diverge / to stray (from the path) / to change the subject / to interrupt / to stagger (times)

= + : Charlie Chaplin (ch) is conducting a scientific investigation in the ashram's bathroom (a4) in which he sticks a fork (山) into a toilet at different positions and angles and measures with a stopwatch (分) how long it takes a bifurcation (岔) to appear once he flushes the toilet.
Buddhist monastery, temple or shrine (abbr. for 剎多羅|刹多罗[cha4 duo1 luo2], Sanskrit "ksetra")

= + : Charlie Chaplin (ch) wanted to kill himself with a knife (刂) in the ashram's bathroom (a4), but then he finds that there is a nice Buddhist monastery (刹). The Buddhists promise that they can just erase Charlie's past using an eraser (杀) on his head.
to be surprised / to be astonished

= + : After his graduation Charlie Chaplin (ch) just stays at home playing video games (宅), so one day he is extremely astonished (诧) to find an advertising column (讠) in the ashram's bathroom (a4) advertising job offers.
branching stream
branches of a tree / fork of a tree
boast / despondent
beautiful / see 奼紫嫣紅|姹紫嫣红[cha4 zi3 yan1 hong2]
slit on either side of robe